At the 2025 NAMM Show, Kurzweil will be showcasing their K2061 & K2088 synthesizers, originally introduced last year.
Both synths feature an updated version of the company’s Dynamic Variable Architecture Synthesis Technology (V.A.S.T.).
Here’s their official intro video:
Features:
- K2061 (61- note synth action) or K2088 (88-key fully-weighted hammer action) w/ aftertouch
- New industrial design with an aluminum+steel enclosure
- Resculpted K2000 synth library
- Compatible with K2 era libraries
- 32 layers per program
- Customizable algorithms
- Flash sample playback, VA, FM and KB3 engines
- 2 GB of factory sounds
- 2 GB user sample memory
- Versatile FX chains and master FX section
- 256 voice polyphony
- 480×272 color screen
- 16-zone MIDI controller
- Over 30 physical controllers per zone including an integrated ribbon
- 16 Arpeggiators
- 16 MIDI CC sequencers
- 16 RIFF generators
Details are available at the Kurzweil site:
via Jon Stubbs
I’m very excited about the K2061! The specs for polyphony, flash, and FX will make my gig life easier and better. I’ve been waiting for this one l!!
What is the boot time?
The K2061/K2088 hasn’t shipped yet.
I think we can expect it will be similar to the PC4. The “robot” says that the boot time for the PC4 is about 20 seconds. I couldn’t find info about the boot time of the K2700. But I expect it will be in that same ballpark.
I was very excited about buying this until I realized I misunderstood the sampling capabilities: it does not sample. This seems odd since Kurz is marketing it as a rebuilt K2000. So I’ll stick with my K2000 for sampling, it’s still a killer instrument. Everything else on the K2061 looks top notch though.
Maki, it’s instant, it uses the same Flash play as previous models, hope that helps
I think Kurzweil need to come up with a bigger screen, it ill make their workstation more appealing.
It does look pretty small, also with the smaller font, they’re fitting more info on screen than the K2000 & PC3 series– so I’ll be curious how it is for readability. They’ve coordinated with SoundTower to have desktop & iPad editors, which provides bigger displays and a touchscreen options, so that helps.
Two grammatical errors on a professional advertisement… really, Kurzweil?…
1. It’s “polyphony” not “polyphany”
2. It’s “controller” with an “r”, not “contoller”.
Yea, I noticed those spelling errors, too. The video seems to have been pulled. Perhaps they got the spelling (not grammar) memo.
Looks like they noticed, too, and fixed.
BTW, that vid came from SoundTower, and not Kurzweil.
Still no prices? And is the 61 note version is without aftertouch?
Both K2061 & K2088 have aftertouch. The video displayed that info in a confusing way.
K2061 $2199.00
K2088 $2999.00
Thanks!
No MPE, No poly aftertouch? in 2025, for flagship products?
PASS on the VAST…
The Expressive E Osmose is a fantastic keyboard; and so is the Hydra Synth. Are those considered workstations? I don’t know how multi-timbral they are, or if they have sequencers.
Your line in the sand is reasonable. And that would have been an interesting development. Fortunately for you, there are a few pretty nice poly AT options available now.
I know… !! I was an early adopter of the Osmose, been playing it for almost a year.
Nothing else like it, supreme emotional expressiveness beats “workstation” for me hands down
Stub, to be considered a “workstation”, a synth must be multi-timbral, have a sequencer, and include sounds + FX. The Hydra Synth is a solid monotimbral synth with great-feeling poly-aftertouch, but it comes up short for not being multi-timbral and not having a sequencer. It would be nice if the K2061 and K2088 supported sampling, but I didn’t hear that feature in the video.
Yea, it would have been nice to see sampling implemented. This is only a theory, but with the increased polyphony counts, and possibly some RAM requirements for “streaming” (?) samples from flash, that all the available RAM is needed to meet those needs, leaving insufficient buffering for sampling. Just a theory.
Another factor is the general shift of usage needs, where most people will import their samples from another source. I will miss the DSP functions within the K2000’s sampling area– I used volume ramp quite a lot.
What I really want in a sampling keyboard is an upgraded Roland V-Synth — one that’s faster and comes with more RAM and onboard storage. If you simply want to play great sounds, the samples in the Kurzweil are great. But if you want to manipulate audio in real-time, nothing beats the time-trip pad and Roland Aira effects. We need a device that handles samples and granular sampling with modern FX, a flexible patch structure, and onboard XLR inputs for taking mics from live singers or instruments.
I was curious about the new Kurzwiel K series Synthesizers, & disappointed at the same time, if they had built them with Everything a Workstation has in its armoury like a full blown 16 track sequencer & a 16 track recording, sampling capabilities (ie aSSD drive)t hen it would have been a no brainer, I would have bought the K2061, but at £2000, instead I’m going for the Korg Nautilus 61 key, now that is a True workstation with all the above & 9 engines, plus the M1 & Wavestation! It’s the most feature rich keyboard on the market & at £1400 it’s a No brainer.
It’s a small thing, but the addition of custom notes will be VERY useful to remind me of various things when I’m in situ at a gig.
I have only one critique about the specs. 2 GB of user memory in a flagship like this is a bit stingy. Apple & Nord are the same way. I know it depends on what kind of user you are, but 4 GB would seem more useful here. Shuffling libraries due to lack of storage, ugh.
Even if you’re looking to drop $3-4K, K synths always have a classy edge over the competition. You have to commit to any deep synth, but with a Kurzweil, you have to marry it. Its hard not to love high points like the ribbon and *9* drawbars, thank you. 16 zones means you can run run outboard gear easily. Its very “Phantom of the Paradise” inside.
I’m coming from 128 MB of sample RAM, so 2 GB that I won’t have to load on every boot is a big upgrade!! Also, 2GB of factory ROM will likely reduce the need for some of the samples I’ve had to load myself.
I definitely would have LOVED to see the same memory configuration as the K2700 (4.5 GB Factory plus 8 GB user)– but I suppose choices have to be made for price point, etc.
CORRECTION: the K2700 doesn’t have 8 GB of user samples. It’s 3.5 GB of user memory. My mistake was misinterpreting “total flash” on the website. 4.5 GB factory + 3.5 GB user = 8 GB total.
The 2GB + 2GB is still pretty great.
I wonder who designed the looks. Reminds me of Axel Hartmann designs.
This brand is very rare locally so i don’t know if i’ll ever come across one but i would certainly like to spend a few hours/days discovering VAST. Cascading VAST seems so powerful.
The screen is a bit small for such a complex beast and integrated sampling would have been nice. It’s cool they kept the sequencer. Feels old school in the best of ways.
I think they could justify the small screen because they’ve provided Windows/Mac/iOS editors (for free) which makes work at home smoother– then you have full functionality for last minute changes at rehearsals & even on gigs.
It’s a versatile machine, to be sure. I think for pure synthesis, there are stronger choices, but as an all-arounder workstation & sample player, this is very, very, configurable– especially around mapping, layering, layer-enabling, and various performance tricks.
For some songs, I have really complex layers that I can play from pedal switches, keyranges– and other switches.
To bad theres no USB audio or Digital i/o
Its costly, but may be added on the final units when we have taken over Greenland
We are in 2025 … 2Gb of memory , no sampling , 256 voice of polyphony , 16 arps ? …. 2-3000 dollars …
Wrong !!!!
Buy a Mac , buy an audio card and a midi controller (Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol mk2/3), and you will have acces to the World , Korg , Yamaha , Roland , Access Virus and many other synths ….
It would have been nice if the K2700 and K2061/K2088 would have included sampling. But perhaps it isn’t as outrageous an omission as you suggest. As I mentioned above, it might have been a difficult choice based on the hardware limitations of the new flash sample system. Or perhaps they did some market research and found that users weren’t using the sampling function enough to invest in the R&D to develop a replacement.
Otherwise, the K2061/K2088 specs aren’t out of line with what Korg, Roland & Yamaha are offering. Perhaps you can give some examples of how a similarly priced (??) product from Korg, Roland, Yamaha has better specs here in 2025?
So maybe the K2061/K2088 is the ‘wrong’ product for you; and you are in your happy place using a MIDI controller and VI’s. That’s awesome.
I like my Mac & VI’s for use in my home studio. It does provide quite a wide palette of sounds, fx, and options. But my stage needs are very different and very complex. Using a Mac & controller on stage would be a an absolute nightmare for me. There just isn’t another VI that can do what my K2661 can do– and it is 20 years old. YMMV
Here’s a link to a revised version of the video (with problem on-screen text removed).
https://youtu.be/7EqSY4OPjZg
stub – thanks for the feedback. I updated the video embed.
Knowing Kurzweil the man Im dreaming of some kind of AI monstrosity
Sadly I doubt the corporation has dreams of any sort
There are now two transpose buttons above the wheels; replacing the two assignable buttons from the K26xx. I was hoping the transpose functions were soft-wired, so the buttons could be reprogrammed to do other functions as with the prior models. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. So those two conveniently positioned buttons can only do a function that I rarely need.
The ‘Live Mode’ was fantastic and that is a real shame never having been kept with as a core attribute of the K-series. The sampling, not so much as it’s way easier today with other options…like others have pointed out in complementary perspectives. I really have yet to even somewhat utilize the sampling offerings in my Force and Fantom, let alone whatever things the Modx has in terms of user sample uploading blah blah blah. Really, a field recorder of any choice and a DAW most comfortable with satisfies that sample need with limitless flexibility.
Being a Kurzweil K-series enthusiast I’ve been waiting for the details of K2061. Biggest letdowns: no multichannel audio over usb (Modx does that even with a lower channel count compared to Montage) & a carry-over GUI from previous models. Are the prices really gonna be in the >$2000 range? B.S. on that if true.
No money for anything right now anyway…but I ain’t biting this. I actually need a KORG Multi/Poly module when that time comes.
Unfortunately it’s a disappointing outcome, we’ve waited over a year since it was announced at NAMM 2024 & yet they can’t even tell us when & where we can purchase one, No Price, No sampling, No poly aftertouch, yet Korg have announced there Version 3 of the brilliant Kronos, still king of workstations period, with 10 engines if you include Karma, plus you can download the M1 & the Wavestation synths! I make that 12 engines for £2650 61 key, £2950 73 key & £3300 88 keys! You can buy the Kurzweil K2700 for as little as £2,000 a bargain for what you get, it might even drop in price When the K2061 K2008 Eventually make an appearance??
Today (1/23/25) is the first day of the exhibitions, so perhaps we’ll hear about the expected ship date.
Sounds like you’re leaning toward the new Korg Kronos, or perhaps a K2700?
Nick interviewed Fran and got a brief demo… Looks great!
https://youtu.be/RV8hyQVKhng
The comments are generally quite positive. The negative comments tend to revolve around several themes:
1. Not enough new features, or not competitive enough re: features, or lacking a specific feature.
2. Price.
3. Criticisms of the presenter.
Whether we compare the K2061 to the last 61-key they released in 2009 (the PC361), or any other 61-key workstation on the market; the K2061 is VERY strong.
Polyphonic aftertouch and display size are purely price-point considerations, and I think it was a smart choice. They offer free desktop and iPad editors, so the screen issue is mitigated. And perhaps users who desire polyAT can use a smaller external controllers like an ESI or Roli thingy.
It would be interesting to get a clear explanation of Kurzweil’s logic behind the K2088– as it was probably not cheap to design a whole new product that has considerable overlap with the K2700.
I guess Fran was caught on his back feet when asked about the absence of polyAT– and I suppose a better response could have been prepared. But I think the essence of his response is fair– it was the focus of the product– not to make a polyAT controller, but to focus on the synth aspects. But I think it would have been fair to just say: “It was about striking a balance between features and price-point.” Not a sexy answer, but probably true.
I don’t think any company has done better for backward compatibility than Kurzweil. The idea that I can replace a 20 year old keyboard and load my files– into the new one, is pretty stunning, even if I have to make some tweaks.